Full Glass of Hearts
by Ran Devoux
Summary: He yearns for his heart, but knows deep down that he can't take it back. Why? It's simple, really. He can't find it. The only clue he has is that it's shared by two people. Follow Baal, the black lamb as he adventures with Aqua, one of the three white lambs of the group of friends that he's part of. Part 1 of 'Glass of Hearts' series. [BBS] [Slight Aqua x OC.]
1. Prologue

**Prologue :**

It was dark.

There was no other way for the man to describe it, but that was all he could see- darkness. Darkness filled all of his senses. He could hear it, feel it, taste it and he was certain that he could also smell it. It made him feel...

Empty.

Numb.

He felt that he was falling into a never-ending abyss. It was only then that his feet touched solid ground. His eyes scanned the glowing area around him. The ground underneath him was a deep blood red, which one would be revolted by at the sight of it.

But he didn't mind it, not one bit.

There was the sound of multiple wings flapping, the red ground coming to life as it broke apart into medium-sized birds. The birds flew away into the abyss, cawing loudly as he watched them until they weren't visible. The man looked down at his feet, the blood red ground filled in with what looked to be a stained glass window.

A man with messy red hair that was chopped just below his chin was in a sitting position, his right arm reaching out to what looked to be a white hand stretched towards him. The man sat on the right side of the window, his eyes black and lifeless as his lips were parted ever so slightly. He had on a black half shirt with white fur lining the collar, his toned stomach in plain view. Tight black pants accompanied with black combat boots and black leather biker gloves finished his bleak outfit, the only accessory standing out on him being red suspender belts attached to his belt loops and some gold-tinted armor covering the sides of his pants in the thigh area.

His skin was tan, his upper arms covered in what seemed to be a tribal tattoo. If one would put both of his arms together side by side, the tattoos would make what would appear to be the head of a dragon with fur around its neck.

One would say that he was human, but only if the large black horns on his head weren't visible. The horns curved downward, framing his face as the points jutted outwards. It looked as if the horns started above his ears and ended just about where his mouth was.

The glass around him was multiple shades of red, though the white arm and matching curls said otherwise. The arm was stretched out towards him from an unseen body, white curls tumbling towards him that indicated very long and very curly hair.

 _You're not supposed to be here. Not yet._

The man looked around, his eyes searching for whoever spoke to him.

"Is that so..." His voice was deep as the words tumbled out of his mouth. "Wanna tell me how I got here, then?"

 _We can't. We're not supposed to. If we do, then..._

His eyes narrowed at that, but nonetheless he was fine with the answer. His hand reached up to his chest, resting it over where his heart is. He clenched onto his shirt tightly, listening for something, anything.

Nothing.

"I... I don't have a heart..."

 _You do._

"I don't feel it..."

 _You have one. It's not with you, though._

"Then... Then where is it...?"

 _..._

 _Safe. It's safe with us._

"Us?"

 _We weren't..._

 _We weren't supposed to live. But your heart..._

 _Your heart kept us alive._

The man frowned at that.

"But... How am I still here, then?"

 _As long as both of us are alive, you will be, too._

 _Now, wake up._

 _Before you disappear, wake up._

* * *

 **Welcome to my Kingdom Hearts fanfic. I'll be scuttling and updating this story whenever I don't feel like updating Sea-Hime.  
**

 **As you can see in the summary, this is part 1 of the 'Glass of Hearts' series. In total, there will be 5 parts. 6 when Kingdom Hearts III comes out. None of the Kingdom Hearts franchise belongs to me. Never did, never will.**

 **But anyways, I do hope you enjoy this series.**

 **Take caution that I update very, very, very slowly.**


	2. Connected

**I : Connected  
**

"Wow..." Ventus looked up at the night sky above the Land of Departure, laying on his back to take in the view. His eyes twinkled in delight as he used his arms as a pillow, the grass underneath him as soft as it can be. A couple of shooting stars could be seen streaking through the sky before fading away. "Why does this seem so.. familiar?"

His eyes began drooping, and before he knew it, he was out like a light.

Ventus wasn't sure how long it had been, but his eyes slowly started opening. He sat up, taking another look at the stars twinkling only to frown and grumble. He had missed the meteor shower- and he was so excited to see the rest of it! Nonetheless, he yawned loudly and flopped onto his back.

His eyes widened as he saw the upside-down face of Aqua, one of his friends. His body bolted upwards, a yelp of surprise escaping from his lips as the bluenette chuckled. Ventus slowly got up to switch to a kneeling position.

"Pff.." He looked over to his left, seeing a tanned male with red hair and black horns on his head. His arms were crossed over his chest, the gold-tinted armor on his hips clanking as one of the corners of his mouth was turned upward, a smirk plastered on his face. Ventus turned his attention back to his female friend.

"Gimme a break, Aqua." He swiftly turned to the tan male. "And stop laughing, Baal!"

The red-head raised one of his eyebrows, his arms at his sides as his left hand rested on his hip. The smirk was toned down to an amused grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ven." His voice was deep, sultry even. Ventus reckoned that with a voice like that, all the ladies would flock to him. Aqua stood up straight, the strips of cloth draped over her hips billowing slightly.

"Ven, you hopeless sleepyhead. You know you should have at least brought a blanket." She scolded him playfully, a small smile on her face. Ventus looked up at the two of them, his eyebrows furrowed.

"But- Did I dream that place up?" His gaze went down to the ground as he began thinking about it. "It really felt like I'd been there before.. looking up at the stars..." Baal walked up to him as Aqua leaned down just a bit, the red-head's hand ruffling Ventus's golden blond hair.

"'Cept you've always lived here with us." Ventus slowly nodded.

"Yeah..." He looked back up at Aqua, a smile on his face as his eyes were full of life. "I know."

He stood up, turning to walk towards the edge of the cliff with the bluenette following his lead. They both sat down, Baal eventually walking over to stand at Aqua's right.

"Hey Aqua." The girl in question turned to Ventus.

"Hm?"

"Y'ever wonder what stars are? Where light comes from?" Aqua looked up at the night sky after a short moment of gathering her thoughts.

"Well they say-"

"That every star up there is another world." Baal mused out with another voice. The two sitting turned their attention behind them, smiles on their faces as Baal glanced over to see-

"Terra." Ah. Him.

"Yep. Hard to believe there's so many worlds out there besides our own." Terra began walking up to them. "The light is their hearts, and it's shining down on us like a million lanterns." Ventus just looked up at him, confused.

"What? I don't get it." Baal scratched his cheek, grumbling under his breath a bit before speaking up.

"They're just like you, Ven." Ventus turned towards Baal, an eyebrow raised.

"What does THAT mean?" The red-head shrugged before rubbing the back of his neck.

"Figure it out." Terra chuckled quietly. Baal's bluntness- which was usually confused with straightforwardness -was always fun to watch.

"You'll figure it out someday, Ventus. I'm sure of it." The blonde male only groaned impatiently.

"I wanna know now."

"You're too young to know now!"

"Quit treating me like a kid!" Aqua quietly watched all three of them, a serene smile on her face until she began giggling. Baal looked over at her with a playful smirk.

"And what're you laughing at over there, Miss Aqua?" She glanced at the red-head.

"I can't help it." Aqua then looked over at Ventus and Terra, who looked back at her with curious gazes. "You two would make the weirdest brothers." She began laughing again, slightly turning away from them. In response, Terra crossed his arms over his chest as Ventus rested his behind his head, a mix of confused noises coming from the two. Baal simply chuckled as Aqua kept on laughing, the two "weird brothers" eventually chiming in with their own.

The four of them sat down on the edge, staring up at the starry scenery above their heads.

* * *

"Oh yeah! Baal, Terra, we have our Mark of Masteries exams tomorrow." Aqua stood up, walking behind them as she rummaged around her body. The three males each raised an eyebrow, turning towards the bluenette. From behind her back she produced four necklaces, a star on each end of the strings. Each of them was a different color; blue, green, orange, and red.

"Good luck charms?" Baal questioned. Aqua nodded, a smile on her face as the charms tinkled as they lightly hit each other. Ventus and Terra stood up as Baal continued to sit, the charms thrown at them.

"Whoa! I get one, too?" Ventus exclaimed, his voice laced with pure happiness.

"Of course. One for each of us." The three of them stood in a circle, holding out their charms to each other. Baal rested his elbow on his knee, his charcoal eyes silently watching the red charm slowly spin. "Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit.. and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection.

So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You'll always find your way back to each other." The female explained, finishing it off with a sheepish smile. "Technically, I think you're supposed to make them with seashells, but I did the best with what I had."

Baal stood up, the string of the charm tied into one of his belt loops. More specifically, the front right loop. A hand was on his hip as he chuckled.

"Sometimes you are such a girl." Aqua gave him a soft glare at that.

"Hey, what do you mean, 'sometimes'?" Ventus stared at Aqua, a sad look on his face as he only came to one conclusion.

"So.. this isn't a real good luck charm?"

"Well," she started off, walking towards the three, "that's yet to be seen. But I did work a little magic on it." Ventus's mood did a 180 as he was immediately filled with curiosity after hearing "magic".

"Really? What?" Aqua gave him a smile, holding her blue charm up to the stars as she gazed at it.

"An unbreakable connection!" Baal got up at that point, heading to the direction that they came from. He looked back at them, a grin on his face as his fur-line collar ruffled slightly due to the breeze.

"We should start heading back." The three white lambs nodded, catching up the the black lamb as they all began walking back. Aqua paused in her steps, her charm in her hand as she looked up to the starry sky, then back down at her charm.

"Together.. always." She turned back around, catching up to her three best friends to witness Baal ruffling Ventus's hair. Terra was chuckling at the sight, a giggle erupting from Aqua's mouth as Ventus pouted; he was still being treated like a kid.

That would be the last night we ever spent beneath the same stars.

* * *

The sun was shining through the stained glass window as Terra, Aqua, and Baal stood firm in front of Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort. Ventus stood off to the side, as he also stood straight as Master Eraqus rose from his seat. Master Eraqus looked at all four of them with firm eyes.

"Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery.

Not one, not two, but three of the Keyblade's Chosen stand here as candidates.. but this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy- not a test of wills, but a test of heart. All three of you will prevail, or none at all." Master Eraqus glanced at Baal, who only stared straight ahead of him. They already had the discussion of him being able to take the test, even though his heart wasn't physically with him. That didn't mean he couldn't take it.

"But I am sure our guest, Master Xehanort.." Master Eraqus continued speaking, his gaze focused on the other man that was seated next to him. "did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark. I trust you are ready."

"Yes." The three of them replied in unison. Master Eraqus summoned his grey Keyblade, "Master Keeper" before getting into a stance. The blade shined brightly before he held a hand to it, multiple white orbs appearing in front of them. "Then let the examination begin."

Baal stomped his right foot into the ground, his keyblade spinning up towards him as if it was just laying there throughout the duration of Master Eraqus's speech. He twirled it around in his hands before getting a firm grip on it, the blade running along his forearm as it jutted outwards.

The Keyblade wasn't as large as Terra's or Aqua's, as it was only the length of Baal's forearm. The blade was gold-tinted, but blended into a deep red color as it neared the tip. Unlike a typical Keyblade, Baal's edge was jagged, almost as if it's primarily used for ripping and tearing. Its Keychain had a small red teardrop, while the chain itself was gold.

Terra and Aqua already had their Keyblades out, all three of them getting into a fighting stance. Baal grunted in surprise as Terra and Aqua gasped; the white orbs were being corrupted by darkness in the form of lightning sparks wrapped around the spheres. Master Eraqus also expressed his surprise as his eyes widened. The trio slowly shook it off as they ran towards the corrupted orbs, each of them slicing through one. The red-head looked over to see one of them floating towards Ven as he sliced through another orb.

"Ven!" Ventus summoned his Keyblade in a flash of light, holding it in a similar fashion as Baal was currently holding his own. He pounced on the orb afterwards, slicing through it as it vanished into the air.

"Don't worry about me! You three focus on the exam!" Terra, Aqua and Baal were surrounded as they stood back-to-back, worry evident in Aqua's eyes. Baal bent downwards, prepared to strike at any moment.

"But Ven, you're in danger here! Go wait in your room." Ventus shook his head defiantly, his arms making a small cross motion.

"No way! I've been looking forward to this- seeing you three become Masters. I'm not gonna miss it now!" Terra glanced at the orbs, his face calm and collected.

"He can take care of himself. He's been out there training just as hard as us."

"It's not like the kid will keel over at any given moment." Baal added, his lips curling into a grin.

"Yeah! What they said!" Terra and Aqua resumed their fighting stances, Keyblades ready to tear through their opponents.

"Stay sharp, Ven." Was the last thing the bluenette said before beginning to slice through the orbs. The three males followed up with their own Keyblades until the last corrupted orb had vanished.

* * *

Baal breathed out a sigh of relief, dropping his Keyblade to the ground as it broke apart into small little orbs of light. The orbs were white, but were tinted with a bit of red around the outer parts. It wasn't until the orbs faded away that Baal turned around to face Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort. Master Eraqus slowly walked up to them, content carved into his facial features.

"That was unexpected.. but one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one that I chose to let unfold; which brings us to your next trial." Baal summoned his Keyblade in the same fashion as earlier, slowly walking up towards the other two participants.

"Now, Terra, Aqua and Baal, the three of you will face each other in combat." Ventus looked over at Master Eraqus, concern written all over his face.

"But.. Master Eraqus.." He tried to talk to Master Eraqus. It would be understandable if one of them had sat out so that only two of them would fight, but to have all three of them fight each other at once?!

"Don't worry, Ven. In a world of fighting, there is no such thing as 'fair'. Your opponent won't let you have a one-on-one with him when he has a whole army, would he?" Baal spoke, only making the golden blonde boy even more concerned.

"Precisely. Remember, there are no winners- only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed." The three of them slipped into their fighting stances, determination filling their eyes. "Begin!"

Baal began rushing towards the two as Terra and Aqua's Keyblades had clashed. He sliced at Aqua with a downward slash, who effectively dodged backwards. Baal spun around as Terra's Keyblade was headed straight towards his head. He intercepted it with his own Keyblade, the sounds of Keyblades clashing filling the large room.

His whole body dropped to the ground as he let out a held breath; Aqua's Keyblade was that close to his neck. He quickly rolled out of the way of Terra's Keyblade as it hit the ground with a loud _clang_. The brunette began slashing at Aqua, who only responded with evasive maneuvers. She then took the offensive, Terra barely dodging her Keyblade as he leapt back. Baal rushed towards him, his weapon positioned in front of him as the lower half of his face was covered with his forearm.

Terra let out a barely audible snarl, clenching his left fist. He glanced down at it, his hand covered in darkness as he clenched his fist again, willing it to go away. He lifted his weapon up in time to block an attack from Baal, who only responded with more swift slashes to him. Terra had no choice but to block all of the slashes before he took another leap backwards.

The fight continued on like that for what would seem to be an indefinite amount of time, until Master Eraqus ordered them to stop. The trio stopped moving as soon as he spoke.

Baal was kneeling down between Terra and Aqua, his Keyblade at Terra's neck as if it were a knife. Aqua's was in a position where one hard shove of her Keyblade could easily behead him, while Terra's was pointed directly at Aqua's forehead. Baal's eyes narrowed before he unsummoned his Keyblade , the other two doing the same before they walked back to Master Eraqus. They stood just as firm as they did before, Master Eraqus looking over all three of them with Master Xehanort standing at his left.

"We have deliberated and reached a decision. Terra, Aqua, Baal, you three have performed commendably.

However, both Aqua and Baal have shown the Mark of Mastery." Aqua let out an audible gasp, Terra's eyes widening slightly as Baal's fists were silently clenched at his sides. "Terra, you failed to to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check. But, there is always next time. That is all."

"Baal and Aqua, as our newest Keyblade Masters, you two are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instructions." With that, Master Xehanort and Master Eraqus walked out of the room, leaving the four lambs to themselves. The Keyblade Masters turned towards Terra as the female reached a hand to him, attempting to comfort him.

"Hey.." Ventus ran up to them, a sad look on his face.

"Terra, I'm sorry." Baal nodded slightly before traveling over to the stairs to stretch as Terra looked down at the ground, feeling a mix of emotions stirring inside of him.

"The darkness... Where did it come from?" He muttered to himself. Baal reached his destination and began stretching, satisfied with hearing the cracking sounds until he heard Master Xehanort's gravelly voice.

"What do you make of Ventus?"

"He ain't gonna cut it." The red-head's eyes narrowed. It sounded like Ventus, but.. with much more malice, more hatred. He's never heard someone like this in the building, or rather, in their world. The voice was surprisingly new; he couldn't think of a face to match with it. "Somebody's gotta break that loser in."

"Not here, you won't. I have to keep up appearances." Appearances? Why would Master Xehanort do something like that? Unless..

"I know that. He just needs a little incentive to leave home." An incentive to leave? Baal wasn't even sure if Ventus can handle other worlds, especially if he was going to be forced to leave.

As he heard the footsteps fade away, Baal silently slipped back to the other three.

"Sorry.. but I need some time alone." Terra walked away from them, Ventus's and Aqua's worry increasing tenfold.

The red-head didn't like Master Xehanort.

Not one bit.

* * *

 **If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask by sending me a PM.**

 **You don't have to write a review, but you certainly can if you want to.**

 **\- Ran**


	3. Castle of Dreams I

**II : Castle of Dreams I  
**

"...and insomuch as you two are now Keyblade Masters, you must always be conscious of-" Baal's charcoal eyes narrowed, Aqua letting out a small gasp as they had heard the bell ringing. Master Eraqus and the Keyblade Masters scanned the large room until Master Eraqus noticed that the pink crystal embedded into the wall shined ever so brightly behind the seats.

"What is that?" He began walking towards it as Terra ran up to them, slightly out of breath.

"What happened?" The brunette looked between Baal and Aqua, hoping for an answer that would ease his concerns. Baal lazily shrugged his shoulders.

"We don't know." He replied truthfully as Aqua glanced around.

"Why isn't Ven here?"

"Maybe he was taking a leak?" Baal suggested, a grin on his face as the bluenette rolled her eyes.

"Baal, could you at least be a little bit more serious? You're a Keyblade Master now."

"Well, I wouldn't be me if that happened, y'know." He retorted, a hand on his hip.

"Very well then, I will send my pupils to investigate." There was a small pause of silence before Master Eraqus spoke again. "Yes, I understand." He slowly nodded his head once. "Farewell."

The three pupils stood straight, arms at their sides as Master Eraqus began walking back towards them. They looked up at Master Eraqus, waiting for him to begin.

"That was my dear old friend Yen Sid. As you know, he is Master no more.. but he still keeps a close eye on the tides of light and darkness.

His counsel serves as signposts on the road we wielders of the Keyblade must walk. All the more reason, then, for concern- for he tells me the princesses of heart are in danger. Not only from the forces of darkness, as you may assume.. but also from a new threat- one that feeds on negativity.

Fledgling emotions that have taken on a monster form- Yen Sid calls them the 'Unversed'." Master Eraqus looked between all three of them before continuing.

"As wielders of the Keyblade, you are tasked with striking down any who would upset the balance of light and darkness. The Unversed are no exception. I tried to pass this news on to Master Xehanort, but my repeated attempts to reach him have failed. I doubt there is any connection, and yet... This all troubles me."

"Master Xehanort is gone?" Terra questioned, Aqua glancing over at him as Baal shifted his eyes towards the two without so much as turning his head. Their attention was brought back to Master Eraqus.

"So here we are. I need you three to get this situation under control. Eliminate the Unversed, and find Master Xehanort." Baal's eyes narrowed. He really didn't want to find the old man. He'd rather let the man keel over at any given moment. "I have unlocked the Lanes Between. You may use these forbidden pathways to travel between this world and countless others. The darkness looms closer than usual within these spaces, but your armor will protect you.

Lastly, remember that order must be kept. You cannot tell anyone there are other worlds. Now go, and fulfill your duty."

"Yes Master." Terra and Aqua spoke in unison, Baal giving him a short nod before turning around. The brunette followed his example until Master Eraqus called for him, to which he turned back around to face him. Baal paused in mid-step, his thumbs in his front pockets as he patiently waited.

"Terra. Consider this an opportunity. A second chance for you to change my mind."

"What?" Terra raised an eyebrow, obviously confused. Master Eraqus began to make his way towards him.

"You must know, I care for you like my own son. If I could have my way, I would name you Master in a second. But, how can I, when you are so obsessed with power?

Terra, you mustn't be afraid of losing. Fear leads to obsession with power, and obsession beckons the darkness." Master Eraqus placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning in slightly as he had a grin on his face. "You must never forget."

He pulled away from him as Terra bowed his head.

"Thank you, Master." He lifted his head, his right hand clenching into a fist as he was filled with determination. "I swear.. I will not fail you again." With that, he turned around and walked past Baal who stood still. Aqua reached out to Terra, opening her mouth to say something before closing it and focusing her attention on Master Eraqus.

"Master, I'd best be on my way." She began walking in the same direction that Terra walked to. Charcoal eyes watched a golden blonde-haired boy run across the room in a hurry.

"Aqua, Baal. Before you two depart, I have one other.." The two turned around to face Master Eraqus as he continued. "Well, call it a request, of the utmost priority."

"Yes?"

"I told Terra this could be a second chance to show the Mark of Mastery.. and I meant it. However, that flicker of darkness he displayed during the examination- I can sense it runs very deep. If he were to-" Master Eraqus stopped himself before continuing. "If those powers were to prove too much for him to handle, I want you two to bring him back to me at once." Aqua looked down at the ground, worry plastered over her face at the thought of losing one of her best friends to the darkness.

"It's for his own good. I could not bear to lose any of you to the darkness." Baal looked up at Master Eraqus, a grin on his face as his hand went back to his hip.

"Of course. We would never let that happen. We'll bring Terra back." The female lifted her head, the worry wiped away.

"We promise. Only this time, you'll see he has what it takes to be a Master." With that, the two turned around and began to walk out of the room. Aqua stopped in her tracks as she looked up at the stained glass window, light shining through it.

"He's not as weak as you think."

* * *

"Terra!" Ventus yelled out, running towards the brunette. He stopped in front of him after almost falling flat on his face, bending down as he panted to catch his breath before feeling a large hand ruffle his hair.

"It's okay." His breathing began steady as he looked up at Terra, concerned. Terra gave him a small smile, reassuring Ventus that he was alright before turning away. Baal stood on the steps, one foot on one stair while the other was on a more elevated one. Aqua stood at the top of the stairs as they both observed what was happening.

Terra lifted his right fist next to his head before pounding it into the armor on his left arm, a bright light engulfing him. Armor covered him from head to toe as static sparked around him every now and then. The armor's base color was a dark brown lined with orange, golden yellow and a reddish brick color. His Keyblade was in his hands, swinging down to his side before lifting it up into the air. The tip shined with pure light before it shot up into the air in a straight line, a large portal forming.

Ventus watched with awe as Terra threw his Keyblade into the air, his Keyblade Glider swooping down towards him as he jumped on. He veered his Glider, having it point upwards before taking off, to which Ventus had to cover his eyes due to the hot air coming from it.

Ventus looked up as soon as he saw that Terra was gone, a sad look on his face before his eyes narrowed. He looked down at his armor before lightly smacking it as he, too, was engulfed in a bright light. The golden blonde-haired male donned his armor for what appeared to be his first time, as a gasp of amazement escaped his lips.

His armor's base color was black, with silver and a rustic gold color along with little bits of red on his chest and leg area. Ventus summoned his Keyblade before throwing it high into the air, watching as it came back down as a Keyblade Glider. He flipped onto it, steadying himself as he rode it as if it was a skateboard.

Aqua began running up to him with Baal trailing behind her. "Wait, Ven!" She shouted, looking up at Ventus before he entered the portal in the sky the same way that Terra did. Master Eraqus ran up to them, standing next to Aqua as he looked up at where Ventus ventured off to.

"No! He mustn't!" Master Eraqus turned towards Aqua and Baal. "You two have to bring him back!"

Baal's eyes narrowed as he nodded, running up ahead as he tapped the gold armor on his right thigh. His body was covered with the same light that the two previous pupils were engulfed in. The light faded as Baal was now clad in his Keyblade Armor; a base color of black with gold lining it. The rest of his armor was blood red and dark gold, with the horns on his helmet shaped just like the horns on his head. His visor was a dark red as he threw his Keyblade into the air.

Baal's Keyblade Glider resembled a giant maroon crow that had lifeless black eyes and wore gold armor on its head, chest, talons and wings. Baal grabbed onto the gold bar that was held between its talons with his right hand before it lifted him up into the sky.

Aqua followed up with changing into her own armor, the colors of it being grey, silver and slate blue. Her Keyblade was thrown into the air as it came back down, the form of it resembling a large bow. She hopped onto it, twirling in the air around Baal as he did the same to her before they disappeared in the portal.

The two of them were flying through the Lanes Between, hardened expressions beneath their visors.

"Where could Ventus have gone?" Aqua questioned herself, Baal glancing over at her.

"We'll find him. Wherever he is, Terra would most likey be there."

* * *

Baal and Aqua walked around the grandiose castle, the male whistling an unknown tune with his arms behind his head. His whistling stopped as Aqua stopped in her steps, their eyes watching a blonde-haired woman quickly running away in a white ballgown.

"Mademoiselle! Senorita! Wait!" A man ran right after her as he held a shining glass slipper in one of his hands.

"Baal! Aqua!" The two turned to where the familiar voice came from, only to see Terra standing on a balcony. He began going down the large stairs towards them, Baal's gloved hand on his hip as he used his other hand to give him a slight wave.

"Terra.. Ven ran away from home." He reached the bottom of the stairs as he turned to look at Aqua with disbelief.

"What?"

"He left to go find you." The red-head spoke, a frown on his face.

"Do you have any idea why?" Aqua questioned. Terra slowly shook his head.

"No.." The brunette paused for a moment, suddenly remembering something. "Actually.. Just before I left, he tried to tell me something. I should have listened to what he had to say."

"Ah.." Baal mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"So.. did you manage to locate Master Xehanort?"

"No, but it seems he's looking for pure hearts filled with light."

"Pure hearts.. filled with light.." Baal's chest tightened at the thought of a pure heart filled with light. His eyes narrowed, the frown on his face showing his annoyance as he clung onto the front of his half shirt. It annoyed him that he was dealing with chest pains; he shouldn't have any due to physically not having a heart. He let out a barely audible grunt.

His heart was with two brats.

"All I can tell you is that his search hasn't taken him here." Terra spoke, walking ahead of them.

"All right. We'll stay and see if we can find more clues." Baal lifted his head, an eyebrow raised.

"We?"

"Yes, Baal. We, as in, the two of us."

"Well why can't I go with Terra?"

"Because I'm the only one that can actually watch over you properly!" The red-head only clicked his tongue to her reasoning. Terra chuckled slightly, overhearing the two's bickering.

"The prince is in the ballroom ahead. He might have some answers."

"Thanks." Terra stopped walking and turned around.

"Aqua. You still have the same dream?" Baal raised an eyebrow at the question, to which Aqua confirmed that she still has the same dream. "There's this girl here- her name is Cinderella. She made me realize how powerful it is just to believe. No matter how impossible things seem.. a powerful enough dream will always be enough to light the darkness." Aqua gave him a small nod, a smile on her face. "If you see her, give her my thanks."

"Will do." With that, Terra turned around and continued walking towards the large double doors. Aqua watched him for a bit before turning towards the stairs, the smile still on her face as Baal patiently waited for her; one foot on one stair with the other on a more elevated one. "He'll be all right. He won't give in to it." The red-head held a hand out to her which she took, both of them walking up the extravagant stairs.

They walked along the red carpet, nonchalantly following it as three women in ballgowns walked past them. Aqua's eyes widened as she suddenly saw a flash of red. But as soon as it appeared, it went away. The man from earlier ran past them, but before he could get far Baal placed a hand on his shoulder which made him stop in his tracks.

"Who are those ladies?" Aqua questioned, gesturing towards the women that continued walking.

"Oh, er, if I recall correctly, that is Lady Tremaine and those are her daughters." Baal turned around to look at them, his eyes narrowing.

"There's something wrong about them." He muttered to Aqua, to which she nodded in agreement.

"You came back!" Aqua looked over to see a handsome man with black hair, a look of surprise on her face.

"Huh?"

"Oh! My apologies. I was mistaken." Nonetheless, Aqua gave him a small smile.

"Your Highness, I found this on the palace stairs."

"A glass slipper?" Their attention was focused on the slipper in the male's hand. It was the same slipper that the blonde woman left behind.

"One dropped by a lovely young lady, and I'll search far and wide to find the maiden to whom this belongs."

"You will?"

"Of course, Your Highness. After all, you have finally found someone whom you wish to marry. Upon hearing that happy news, your father, the king, has decreed that a quest shall begin immediately throughout the kingdom. And I will start with the closest residence- that of Lady Tremaine." The two began to go their own separate ways, Aqua quietly thinking as Baal watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"Lady Tremaine.. Let's go pay her a visit." She spoke, only to receive a hand ruffling her hair.

"You got it."

* * *

It was nighttime when Aqua and Baal had reached their destination; Lady Tremaine's home. They stood at the front door, listening in on the conversation taking place. Baal pinched his nose, waving his other hand in front of him as if there was a foul stench in the air.

"You honor our humble home, m'lord."

"Quite so."

"May I present my daughters, Drizella and Anastasia."

"As I feared. There is darkness here." Aqua summoned her Keyblade as she walked up towards the wooden doors, Baal summoning his own Keyblade.

"As long as we get rid of this nasty stench coming from the darkness."

"Wait!" A voice echoed. The female turned around, surprise evident on her face as Baal only groaned, not being able to deal with the stench. "It's dangerous to fight the darkness with light, my dear." The sparkles in the air slowly came in together, an old woman wearing a light purple cape with a large pink bow at her neck appearing.

"Who are you?" Baal raised an eyebrow at the question. Did Aqua have amnesia or something?

"I'm.. Baal. Remember?" Aqua shook her head, pointing a finger towards the woman in the clearing.

"No, her."

"Riiiiight.."

"Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. I appear to those who believe that dreams come true. And do not worry about your friend there. It seems he doesn't believe." The bluenette gave her a smile.

"Then I am honored. But, why would you advise me not to fight darkness with light?" Baal rolled his eyes, opting to ignore Aqua as she had decided now would be a good time to have a lovely conversation with herself. A weird one, at that.

"Strong rays of sun create dark shadows. Sadly, Lady Tremaine and both her daughters are jealous of Cinderella's charm and beauty, qualities that appear to you as 'light'. Jealousy is darkness. Light and dark go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other." Aqua looked down at her Keyblade, confused on her next course of action.

"Then.. what should I do?"

"It's quite simple, dear. One of Cinderella's friends is trying very hard to keep her light from fading. I want you and your friend to join little Jaq and help him." The bluenette nodded.

"I can do that."

"You'll need a bit of my magic to help Jaq." The Fairy Godmother pulled out her wand, giving it a few taps into her palm as sparkles flew out of it with every tap before starting to wave it around. "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!" The sparks flew towards both Aqua and Baal as the female's eyes watched the magic circle around them. A light engulfed them as they became a small glowing ball, the ball floating up towards the open window to the room that had its lights on.

Baal looked over at Aqua, his eyebrow raised as they were as tiny as the mouse that was carrying a gold key on his shoulder.

"Do I want to know?" Aqua giggled.

"If only you believed, Baal." He frowned at the vague response as Aqua walked towards the brown mouse who seemed to be grumbling incomprehensible words under his breath.

"Are you okay, Jaq?" The mouse continued walking, paying no attention to the female whatsoever.

"Cinderella's stepmother locked her in her room." He spoke to himself. "I've gotta let her out! I've gotta save Cinderella!" The two Keyblade Masters continued following the mouse as Baal raised an eyebrow at what he just heard.

"Let Aqua help you." The mentioned girl rolled her eyes, giving Baal a light shove before summoning her Keyblade.

"Oh, thank you." Jaq spoke, oblivious as to who he was talking to. Baal scratched his cheek. Were there this many innocent people out there? The brown mouse turned around, realization coming to him as he saw Aqua's Keyblade. "Ooh! That's like Ven's! Did you ever meet Ven?" Aqua's eyes widened. It seems they're on the right track to finding Ven.

"I'm Aqua, and this is Baal." She gestured to herself and then to the red-head, who only gave the mouse a slight wave. "Tell me how you know about Ven."

"We're friends- good friends. Ven helped me fix Cinderella's dress."

"So where is he?" Baal asked. The mouse seemed to look a tad bit more sadder.

"He's looking for a friend- another friend." A sigh escaped the male's lips.

"I see." Aqua looked off into the distance, a frown evident on her face. "Ven.. you must have just missed Terra."

"I can't understand why.." Aqua and Baal looked towards the large set of white double doors with questioning gazes after hearing the muffled voice. "It always fit perfectly before."

"Quite enough of this. The next young lady. Please.."

"Oh no." Jaq exclaimed. "Hear that!? We've gotta hurry! Cinderella's gotta try that slipper." The mouse began scurrying along. "Come on, come on! Hurry!" Jaq stopped in his tracks; a small dark blue creature popped out of the ground. Whatever it was, it didn't seem too friendly. Baal's nose scrunched up at the stench coming from it. "Ah! No, no, no! We've gotta hurry!"

"It's all right. Leave this to us." Aqua stood in front of Jaq as Baal stomped his foot on the ground. As soon as he grabbed his Keyblade another one came out, to which he let out a small grunt of surprise before grabbing it. He looked at the two Keyblades; the newer one was slightly more longer, but had the same styling, patterning, and coloring of the original one.

"Hey, Aqua. Bad timing to ask this, but.." The female turned to Baal, an eyebrow raised until she noticed the two blades in his hands.

"Where'd you get the longer one?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Master Eraqus or Yen Sid about this." The two changed their focus to the Unversed that showed up, getting into their fighting stances as more popped up. Baal adjusted quickly to the new blade; the blade was in his other hand as it was held onto as if it was a sword. He figured the blade was too long for him to hold it perpendicular to his forearm.

"Jaq, don't lose that key!" Baal pounced onto an Unversed, shredding into it as if he were a wild animal devouring the meat from a dead carcass. Of course, he wouldn't try to eat the Unversed. The stench of darkness from them was unbearable, and he wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible.

After all of the Unversed were vanquished, Jaq rushed over to the mouse hole in the wall. He turned back towards them, thanking the two before he disappeared.

Baal looked down at his Keyblades. It was clear that the two blades were one, but he had never heard or seen something like this before. He slowly shook his head, following Aqua who had walked ahead of him.

He would get his answers someday. Today just wasn't the day.

* * *

 **Typed out a ton more than I should have, so it will be split into more than one part.**

 **If you have any questions, please do send me a PM. I'll do my best to answer them.**

 **\- Ran**


	4. Castle of Dreams II

**III : Castle of Dreams II**

The two Keyblade Masters were perched on top of a pillar that held an expensive looking vase, listening in on the conversation between the three women and the grand duke. Baal's feet dangled off of the edge, his charcoal eyes calculating the situation.

"You're the only ladies here?" The grand duke asked.

"There's no one else, Your Grace." The red-head frowned at that as Aqua voiced out her impatience.

"Come on.. Hurry, Jaq!" The tan male turned towards his female friend, standing up and walking over to her. He placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"He's doing the best he can. Besides, I bet if he shows up at all we can go out later to get some pumpkin pie."

"Pumpkin pie?" She questioned.

"Well, why not? In the mood for some pie. Why not a pumpkin pie?" The grand duke turned around, leaving the house as they can only do nothing but watch. What can they do when they were this small anyways? Aqua ran up to the ledge, about to jump off until they suddenly grew back to their original sizes. Her eyes widened as she tried to regain her balance by grabbing onto Baal's arm. Baal was oblivious to Aqua's predicament, so when she grabbed onto his arm he turned his head to her direction.

"Wait, wha-" Aqua fell from their spot, pulling him down with her as they crashed into a heap on the floor. The crash made the grand duke stop in his steps as he turned around to look at what might have caused the commotion.

Baal was underneath Aqua as he took most of the damage, his body facing upwards as the bluenette climbed off of him to sit on her knees near him. He had grabbed her while they were falling and switched their positioning so that he fell first, making sure that Aqua didn't get hurt whatsoever.

So what if he can't take things seriously? Aqua's still a girl with wants and needs. One of those wants isn't her getting hurt, and she definitely didn't need to get hurt. He slowly got up, rubbing his sore right horn as multiple cracks were heard from his back.

At least he didn't need one of his friends giving him a rough massage for a while.

"You alright?" He asked, to which Aqua replied with a nod.

"Thank you for breaking my fall." Baal simply waved it off, a smirk plastered on his face.

"S'no problem." The girl gasped as she quickly looked up to Lady Tremaine and her daughters huddled together, the grand duke still at the doors. They stared at them, Baal quickly standing up and dusting himself off as his posture straightened. His eyes darted around the room before they landed on the glass slipper.

"Ah.. Would it.." He cleared his throat before continuing. "Would it be alright if my lady would try on the glass slipper?" He didn't care if Aqua got on his ass about what he asked, they needed a good cover up.

"Hmm.. I met you two at the palace. Unfortunately, she is not the young lady the Prince is looking for." So much for that good cover. Aqua stood up, a hand on her chest as she played along.

"But I am a girl. I should at least be given a chance to try it on." The bluenette glanced at Baal, who only stared back. "Isn't that right, my servant?" Baal's left eye visibly twitched, but he slowly nodded nonetheless. The grand duke had a look on his face as he considered it. Lady Tremaine walked up to them, her eyes narrowing at these strangers.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?"

"She's probably here to rob us!" One of her daughters concluded.

"Mother, do something!" Lady Tremaine looked back at the grand duke.

"That girl does not live here. I have only two daughters. I believe we're finished here, Your Grace." The grand duke walked up to Aqua, glass slipper in hand.

"Regardless... She means no harm." He held out the glass slipper towards her, the female giving him an uncertain smile. "Here you are, my dear." Aqua looked up at the vase from the corner of her eyes, clearly not wanting to try the slipper on. It obviously looked too small for her feet, and she didn't really want Baal to use this as blackmail material.

How he became a Keyblade Master, she wasn't even sure.

"Your Grace... Please wait. May I try it on?" All eyes turned towards the blonde woman that Baal and Aqua saw at the castle. The bluenette let out a sigh of relief; she would be saved from Baal's antics.

"Pay no attention to her. She's just an imaginative child." Lady Tremaine said. Baal's eyes narrowed as she bowed to the grand duke.

"Madam, my orders were every maiden." He responded. Baal began walking towards Cinderella who had just reached the last of the steps.

"You should let her go first." He suggested, holding a hand out towards the woman. Cinderella gave him her thanks as her feet touched the floor. She sat in a cushioned pink chair, looking up at Aqua before staring at the grand duke. Aqua gave her a comforting smile as she saw Jaq from the corner of her eye.

"I actually want to thank you, for teaching Terra he needs to keep believing." Cinderella looked back at her with a questioning gaze, Aqua quietly retreating towards Baal. He gave Aqua a smirk, knowing fully well that she had seen Jaq.

Which meant they were getting pumpkin pie after this whole ordeal! Baal silently cheered to himself, oblivious to Aqua's small sigh.

The grand duke began walking up to the blonde woman, until he unceremoniously tripped. Baal rushed forward, only to barely miss the glass slipper as it shattered from hitting the marble floor. He cursed under his breath as Aqua let out a gasp, the grand duke covering his face with his hands as he began sobbing.

"What will I do?" Cinderella looked down at them with a graceful smile on her face.

"Oh please, don't worry. You see, I have the other slipper." She reached behind her to pull out a glass slipper just like the one that had shattered. Lady Tremaine's eyes widened in shock as the grand duke cautiously took it from her, kissing it multiple times. He slipped it onto her bare foot, finding it to be a perfect fit.

"A perfect fit. I must inform the Prince immediately! You will come with me, of course." Cinderella stood up, walking towards the two Keyblade Masters as her smile grew.

"I'd be happy to." The grand duke began walking towards the doors, Lady Tremaine's daughters clearly voicing out their opinions.

"It's not fair. She's a scullery maid!"

"Mother! Are you just going to let them leave?"

"No.." Lady Tremaine drawled out. "Cinderella will be put in her place."

* * *

Baal and Aqua were walking around the front of the house, until a scream pierced through the silent night. Their heads quickly turned towards where it came from.

"What's that?" The grand duke came running out of the forest, yelping in fear. Baal ran up to him with Aqua in tow. "What happened? Where is Cinderella?" Aqua questioned, the grand duke bent over with a hand to his rapidly beating heart. He was breathing quite heavily.

"Sh-she was attacked by a creature.. a monster in the forest.." He stuttered out. The red-head's eyes narrowed.

"A monster?" He muttered to himself. Baal took off into the forest, Aqua reaching a hand out to him.

"Baal! Wait! We don't even know where Cinderella is!"

"Sh-she should be in a clearing with the castle in sight... Please, save her! Save Cinderella!" The bluenette nodded, determination filling her eyes as she ran after her tan companion.

Baal ran down the winding dirt path until he reached a clearing, seeing Cinderella on the ground with Lady Tremaine and her daughters cackling as they were standing next to..

A giant pumpkin carriage? It was clearly too early for Halloween, he thought to himself. The monster vomited what looked to be a fire spell into the sky, making it rain down on the clearing. Baal made a mad dash to Cinderella, sliding on the dirt as he covered her with his own body from the magic attack.

Aqua made it to the clearing, her eyes widening as the fire exploded upon impact.

"Baal!" She screwed her eyes shut, covering her face with her arms from the blinding light of the close range spell. Aqua slowly opened her eyes, the smoke clearing out as she sighed in relief. The two of them were unharmed.

The red-head got up from Cinderella as she looked up at him with grateful eyes. Lady Tremaine cackled.

"This is what happens when you go against my wishes!" She looked up to the sky, her arms spread apart as a glowing pumpkin fell down in front of them, immediately exploding. The mother and her two daughters screamed as they sailed through the air, their voices fading away as they were out of sight. Baal watched it from start to end with the two females before he let out a low whistle.

"The darkness in their hearts overtook them." Aqua surmised. She held a hand out to Cinderella who took it, pulling her up. "Go." Baal watched the blonde woman just in case she was attacked while moving to safety. Seeing that it hasn't happened, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand; the giant Unversed pumpkin coach.

"How do you want to do this?" The red-head asked, twin Keyblades already summoned and raring to go. Aqua summoned her own as her eyes scanned the nightmarish monstrosity.

"Long ranged magic and close ranged fast hits. Think you can keep up?" She challenged him, a friendly smile on her face. Baal only scoffed at that, his trademark smirk plastered on his own face.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't be saying that since your spells take a helluva lot longer to cast than I take to get in multiple hits." With that, he bolted to the Unversed and began slashing at it. Aqua stayed in the back, shooting out ice spells at it from the tip of her Keyblade.

The Cursed Coach twisted its body before rapidly spinning towards the bluenette, who gracefully dodged with a cartwheel. Baal quickly caught up to it, slicing and dicing until it swiftly turned to face him. He barely had any time to dodge or block as the Unversed slapped him off towards Aqua with its thorny, pale yellow tentacles. He winced as he tumbled and skitted across the dirt unceremoniously, steadying himself into a kneeling position.

"Baal!" A gloved hand caught a potion that was thrown at him, Baal quickly thanking Aqua before downing the disgusting concoction. He threw the empty bottle aside, littering the least of his worries as he sprung back into action.

The Unversed spun again, this time heading straight to Baal. He crouched slightly, his Keyblade in front of him in a cross as he blocked it. The Cursed Coach staggered, which gave him enough time to give it a solid upper slash. It flipped over onto its top, the giant mouth on it turned into an upside down frown. Aqua began casting Blizzara multiple times, as Baal changed his attack stance; becoming more slow and heavy instead of the fast-paced rogue-like slashes.

The monster spun back onto its wheels, the eye markings on its body glowing a sinister red before it shook its body. Baal glared menacingly at it as it took a few steps back, the mouth opening large and wide.

"Move!" The tan male shouted to his companion as he felt a strong gust of wind sucking him towards the Cursed Coach. Aqua began running to the left of it as Baal moved to its other side. They were able to get a few hits in until the Unversed decided to float in the air. The small stem on top of its body opened up as it began raining mini pumpkin bombs. The red-head groaned, clearly exhausted from running around.

"Why can't you die already?!" As the large Unversed landed back on the ground, Aqua shot out another Blizzara, its body shaping into darkness before it faded away. Baal panted heavily, flopping onto his back on the dirt beneath him as his Keyblade disappeared in a flurry of light. He stared up at the stars, sweat dripping off of his forehead until Aqua decided to ruin his view of the night sky with her face staring down at him.

"So... Still want that pumpkin pie?" The only reply the bluenette got was a loud groan paired with an annoyed look, to which she giggled at nonetheless.

* * *

The two of them were in what looked to be the courtyard of the castle as they watched the prince and Cinderella embrace each other on the stairs. The grand duke wiped the tears that were threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes, Baal standing next to Aqua who sat down. He gave a small grin to the scene; he wasn't one for sappy romances, but he thought that this one wasn't _too_ bad. Aqua looked out of the corner of her eyes to her left, a faint shimmer catching her interest as the Fairy Godmother appeared. She then turned her attention back to the couple on the stairs.

"A pure heart filled with light... It's strange, the Master taught us darkness needs to be destroyed. But how, if not with light?" Baal assumed that it was Aqua doing her weird talking to herself thing again, so he decided to ignore it. The Fairy Godmother turned to look at her, a serene smile on her face.

"Oh, my dear, you're too young to know. Experience more things, and you'll find the answer. Just trust in your dreams." Baal turned to look at Aqua.

"I still want some pumpkin pie." Aqua simply shook her head, laughing.

"Alright, alright. We can get some." Baal let out a small cheer. " **If** they have any." The red-head's excitement went from one hundred to zero in less than a second. The Fairy Godmother watched the interactions between the two, before coming to a conclusion.

"I ship." The bluenette's face flushed red as she turned to the Fairy Godmother.

"W-wait, wha-?!"

* * *

 **So, Aqua and Baal just finished their business in Castle of Dreams.**

 **As said before, there's no need for you to write a review, but you can do it if you feel like it.**

 **Enjoy the rest of your day / evening / night.**

 **\- Ran**


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